Chain tightening device



A. F. MARCIL 1,929,026

CHAIN TIGHTENING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1930 IN VEN T OR BY dldaz'e EIIIarczL Patented Oct. 3, 1933 'UNiTEosTAT s PAT CHAIN TIGHTENING nsvrcr: Aldore F. Marcil, Woonsocket, .R. 1;

Application November 28, 1930 .Serial'No. 498,787 I 3 'Claims. (01. 2544s)" invention relates to improvements in tightening devices and hasparticular reference Another object is to provide improved means and method of drawing a non-skid or like chain taut upon the wheel so that the connecting means adiacent the ends of said chain may bev easily united. l

Anotherobject is to provide simple, eflicient and economical means .and, method of applying a non-skid or like chain to the wheel of an automobileor like vehicle. 1-.

Otherobjects and advantagesot the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and it will be understood that many changes may bemade in the details of construction, ar

rangements' of :parts and method shownwithout inglthe invention showing al-portion of a tire and non-skidchain thereon and illustrating th used. the device in applying the chain.

Figi IIiis an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takenon line 'II -II-ofFig.'I;, Fig. III is a sectional view taken on line III-f-III Fig.2IV is an'enlarged fragmentary sectional view takenon 1ine.IV.IV of Fig.1; Fig. V is aside elevation of 'a modified form oithe inventiom v Fig. VILis a fragmentary sectional .view on line Vb-VI of, FigrV';

Fig. VII is a-{ragmentary sectional view on line VIP-VII oiFig.V; 1 l

Fig; VIII is a side elevation of another modifled form of the invention; j 1.

Fig. IX is a fragmentaryview similar .to Fig.

II showing a modified; form of pivot connection,

the, parts being shown. in full lines; and A t Fig. X is a sectional view. taken on line X X otFigJXr I In the, past it-was "believed that anon-skid chain should be loosely applied to a wheel-so thatithe said chain would whip forward when come. the. above disadvantages and said chain to function quickly.

have been of" the tire to prevent skidding. Thi's'practice,

however has proven very unreliable and uns'atisfa'ctory as the looseness did not only retard the gripping function of the chain when the wheel skidded but also caused the links to knot and break or wearaway quickly when run over bythe wheel. This looseness in many instances in the past has been the cause of many serious accidents- It also permitted the chain'to whip against the mud guards and. wear holes therethrough and made such invidious noisesthat the said chains were very undesirable for use. Q I It, therefore, is the prime object of this in vention to'provide improved means and method ENT orFiCsf-[fj the wheel was in motion and form a tread ahead of tightening the chain upon the wheel '.to over permit the Referring to the drawing wherein like'ch'aracters of reference designate like partsthrough outth'e several views thefldevice' embodying the invention comprises a pair of arms 1 having'a hook shapedportion 2 adjacent one end thereof and having their opposite ends pivotally secured together at 3. One of the arms 1 is provided with-an enlarged cut out portion 4 intermediate its ends through which a threadedro d member 5' extends The threaded rod 5 is threadedly connected to a'pivot lug 6 mounted in an enlarged cut out'portion 6' formed onthe other arm f1 and. is provided with a crankv portion 7 and an enlarged shouldered portion 8 adapted to engage the sideof the arm adjacent'the cut' out portion 4 to force the said arm toward the other when the .crank portion 7 is operated to thread the threaded'rod 5 intothe, pivot lu'e' 6. ;A nut member 5' on the rod 5 adjacent the inner side of the cut out portion 4 causes the ai'l'iil to move outwardly when '-the rod member 5. is threaded outwardly of the pivot mg 6. The hook shaped ends 2Iare adapted to be placed within the link members 9 of a nonskid cha in lO as shown in Fig. I to hold thesaid chainso that it may be tightened. The chaihQlO is shown applied to aftirell" of an automobile or like and the hookshaped ends 2 are placed within the links 901 tliech'ainf Thecrank member 7 is then operated to'move the hook shaped ends 2 towards .each other and draw the chain tight upon the tire 11. The connecting .member'jlZ on'- th'ejchain .10 is then attached to one of the links 9 and the crank'member This againfoperated to open the arms 1 outwardly andrelease the hook shapedend's. 2 from'thel chain. The chain in this manner can be rigidly securedto the tire. Attention is called'to the fact that there member 12 to be easily inserted in .one of the link members -9. v

In Fig. V there is shown a slight modification in which the arms 1 are pivotally connected at placed atthe ends of the arms- 1 opposite the hook shaped ends 2 and is threaded into a pivot lug 14 mounted in an enlarged out out portion 22 adjacent the end of one arm and isloosely attached at its end opposite the crank portion 7 in the enlarged recessed end 15 of the other arm.. v I

' A pairof collars 16, one on each side of the recessed end. 15'loosely' secures the end of the rod member in placein said end and permits thecrank member '7 to be operated to move the hook shaped ends toward and away from each other. v

. In Fig. VIII there is shown a further modification wherein instead of using a crank member 7 as shown in Fig. V a cam member 17 is employed. The cam member17 is pivotallyconnected at 18 to the bifurcated end 19 of one of the arms 1 and engages with a grooved faced member 20 adjacent the end of the other arm. The arms in this instance arepivotally connected at 21 intermediate their ends as shown The operation of both of the modified forms is similar to that of the preferred form set forth A .furtherjmodification of the invention is shown in Figs. IX and X wherein instead of "placing the pivot-lug 6 in aligned transverse'op'enlarged'portion 6. The said out out central porof duringv the use of the device.

tion is provided on the side opposite the mouth with converging projections24, which form stops to hold thelug 6 in place, A pin member .25 holds the lug, 6 against the stops 24 within the cut out. portion'and prevents displacement there- This construction is such that the cut out portion andprojections army, be formediri the arm when it is casted and thereby greatly reduces the cost of manufacture. The converging projections 24 are angled at. 26'toprovide clearance for angle movement of the threaded rod member 5. V

This improved method of applying non-skid chains prevents the usual sideskiddingof the wheels until the chains become taut. as has been true in the past and prevents undue wearing of the chains and mud. guards during the'use of said chains and also obviates obnoxious noises such as has been caused by the loosechains of the past. q? H), From the foregoing description it. will be seen that I have provided simple, eflicient and economical means and method ofobtaining all the objects of the invention. g Having described my invention I claim; 1. A'chain tightening device comprising'a pair ofarms having a holding portion adjacent one end thereof, a, pivotal connection adjacent the other endand acut out portion'intermediate their ends,'one'of said out out portions having substantially straight parallel upper and lower walls which converge inwardly on one side thereverse opening having a threaded opening interthe out out portion on the side of the pivot member opposite the stops for holding the pivot member against the stops in said cutout portion, and a crank member having a threaded rod portion extending through the cut out portion in other of said arms and threadedly connected with the pivot member in the cut out portion in the first mentioned arm for moving the said holding portions towards and away from each other by threading the threaded rod in and out of the threaded pivot member, said crank member having an enlarged portion adjacent the cut out portion in the arm adapted toengage the side of the said arm and force it towards the otherarm when the crank member is operated.

2. A chaintightening device comprising a pair of arms having a holding portion adjacent one end thereof, a pivotal connection joining the arms to permit movement of the holding portions toward and away 'from' each otheryeach of said M arms'having a cut out portion, one ofsaidcut out portions having converging walls forming stops adjacent one end thereof, a perforated pivot member in the cut out portion in engagement with the stops,- said pivot member having a I,

threaded bore, a pin extendingtransversely o! I the cut out portion on the side of the pivot member opposite the stops for holding the pivot member against the stops in said out out portion, and a crank member having a threaded portion extending through the cut out portion in the other of said arms and threadedly connected with the'pivot member in the cutout portion in the first mentioned arm for moving the said holding 7 portions toward and away from each other by 7 threading the threaded portion in and out of the threaded pivot member, said crank member having an enlarged portion adjacent the cut out portion in the arm through which'itextends, adapted toengage the side of the said arm and forceit toward the other arm. when the crank member is operated; 1 '3. 'A chain tightening device comprising .a pair of arms having a holdingcportion adjacent one end thereof, a'pivotal' connection joining the arms to permit movementof the holding members toward. and away 'from' each other, each of said arms having a cut outportion', one of said cutout portions having an opening extending transversely thereof a pivot member in the transmediate its ends-lying within the cut out portion, and means having a threaded portion extending through the cut out portion in the' otherof said arms and threadedly connected with thepivot g:

member in the transverse opening in the out out portion in the first mentioned arm for moving the said holding portions toward and away from each other by threading the threaded member inand out of the threaded pivot member, saidthreaded H, pivot member being adapted to be held in the transverse opening by said threaded member and forming pivot means for connecting the said I threaded member to' the arm, said threaded member having an enlarged portion adjacent the cut out portion in the arm through which'it 245 extends adapted to engage the side of said arm and force it toward the other arm when the member having the threaded member thereon is operated. r f ALDORE F. MARCIL. r50 

